Will Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes Appear in the Final Episode of ‘The Walking Dead’?

When the pilot of The Walking Dead premiered on Halloween of 2010, the character of Rick Grimes made a huge impact on fans. The pilot episode called Days Gone Bye started with him shooting a young girl turned zombie in the head. It set the tone for the rest of the 11 season series.

But in Season 9, actor Andrew Lincoln bowed out from the show after playing Rick for a decade. This left fans surprised and disappointed. 

So why did he leave? What are the chances we’ll see Rick in the final episode? And what does that mean for spin-off shows and movies?

Rick Grimes Leaves The Walking Dead

After playing a character for an extended period of time, some actors grow bored with the material. Some want to cash in on their newfound popularity and score a bigger paycheck in a new role.

While Andrew Lincoln certainly could have used his stardom from the show to move on to a new part, leaving The Walking Dead had nothing to do with wanting more fame. He just wanted to spend more time with his family.

British actor Andrew Lincoln has two young kids and a wife in the UK. Shooting for The Walking Dead takes place in Atlanta. When he’s working on filming a season, he’s gone from his kids and wife for months at a time. He decided that the only way for him to spend time with his family was if Rick got written out of the show. 

Will Rick Grimes Return for Season 11?

The writers granted Lincoln’s wishes and wrote the main character out of the show. Surprisingly, they did not take the easy way out and did not kill off his character. They made it appear like he sacrificed his life, but then we see a CRM helicopter rescue him, confirming his survival.

This gives the writers the opportunity to bring him back in upcoming movies or spin-off shows.

It’s entirely possible that Rick Grimes could come back for the final episode of Season 11. 

Before the final episode wrapped, fans spotted Lincoln in Georgia, around where filming takes place. Does that mean he makes an appearance? Or was he simply in the area visiting other cast members?

As the face of the show for a decade, it would make sense that he would want to see the show wrap. But it’s entirely possible that he was there to make a brief final appearance.

Some believe that he has to return in order to set up Daryl’s Walking Dead spin-off. Daryl needs a motivation strong enough to justify leaving Judith and RJ. He can’t heartlessly replicate Michonne’s abandonment of the kids.

Just about the only justification strong enough to leave them is a mission to find Rick.  

And a shot from the promo gives us reason to believe this might be the case. We see Daryl holding Rick’s gun, which hints that Rick will return to impact the storyline once again. 

When Will We Know?

The Walking Dead will reportedly make an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con this July, so perhaps we’ll get a trailer to give us more clues. Until then, we’ll be listening for any more hints on the end of The Walking Dead, Season 8 of Fear the Walking Dead, the filming of Isle of the Dead, and the beginning of Tales of the Walking Dead set to premiere on August 15, 2022.

Whether or not Rick Grimes returns, there will be no shortage of Walking Dead content with or without him.